What Will The State Of The Union Do For Tech Stocks?

Could technology comments in the State of the Union speech and a new cybersecurity executive order actually help government contractors, security firms, solar companies and electric car makers?

Tech stock action was mixed Wednesday, so investors are not exactly rallying the broad ideas. But long run, security and alternative energy industries in particular might see effects from Obama administration policies emphasized in the SOTU address.

Obama talked up tech job creation and manufacturing, pointing out that "Apple (AAPL) will start making Macs in America again." But Apple fell a fraction Wednesday.

In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama praised 3D printing's "potential to revolutionize." View Enlarged Image

News reports suggested 3D printer stocks rose on Obama's passing mention of the field — he said it "has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything." But Proto Labs' (PRLB) 26% jump came after the 3D printer service provider's earnings early Wednesday beat views, while ExOne (XONE) and 3D Systems (DDD) rose 2% and 4%.

Solar stocks were mixed following a strong quarterly report by one player, MEMC Electronic Materials (WFR) (up 7%), and other recent news. Electric cars? Tesla Motors (TSLA) lifted 1.5%, but that follows a saga over a troubled Model S test drive and the question of whether the car was really to blame.

The speech spent time on two areas of interest to tech investors: security and alternative energy.

"I signed a new executive order that will strengthen our cyberdefenses by increasing information sharing and developing standards to protect our national security, our jobs and our privacy," Obama said in his televised and social media-amped address.

The long-awaited order could ultimately benefit business for smaller government contractors and certain security vendors, beyond just big contractors such as Lockheed Martin (LMT), Raytheon Co. (RTN) and Northrop Grumman (NOC), says Internet Security Alliance President Larry Clinton.

The edict aims at protecting the nation's key infrastructure, from the electric grid to financial systems. Congress is expected to flesh out details, after failing to pass a cybersecurity plan last session.

Through it, over the past year or so highly vetted big government contractors have had more access to cyberattack data from government to help shore up security. Clinton says more attack data could be shared by government with highly vetted companies, to work confidentially on protections.

"Say China's doing A-B-C — I can't tell my partner but if I develop a widget that fixes A-B-C I can sell my widget," Clinton said. "So this adds an economic incentive."

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03/30/2015 07:36 PM ET

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